


birthday wishes and birthday presents

by Finholdt



Category: Superman (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Birthday Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Happy Birthday Clark Kent!, No Beta We Die Like The Superkids, The Kent Household, There's a bunch of mentions of other characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29756910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finholdt/pseuds/Finholdt
Summary: Every year the Daily Planet united to throw a huge surprise party for Clark Kent. He already knew all about it, of course. It’s hard to be discreet when the birthday boy has super-hearing.That's why, Clark found it a little strange the complete lack of whispers and conspiracy looks thrown at him this year.
Relationships: Clark Kent & Jon Lane Kent, Clark Kent & Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Lois Lane
Kudos: 3





	birthday wishes and birthday presents

**Author's Note:**

> ayooo, this is my birthday present to the most amazing, incredible and importante hero of all times: Clark Kent! Happy birthday, dear <3
> 
> Btw, English is not my first language and I wrote this after midnight, high on adrenaline to finish on time, so... lemme know about any typos and mistakes, please.

Every year the Daily Planet united to throw a huge surprise party for Clark Kent. He already knew all about it, of course. It’s hard to be discreet when the birthday boy has super-hearing. For her credit, Lois always tries to keep it a secret. She never talks about the party when Clark’s in the building, texting instead, and always try to stop people from speaking about the details when he is around.

_“Calm down, Lane! Your husband is literally in another floor, what, you think he’s got a sensitive hearing or something?”_

Clark finds the whole thing really amusing, to be honest, specially because he _always_ throws her big surprise parties and _never_ gets caught. He is pretty sure this is getting way more personal for Lois and it’s not really about his birthday for her anymore.

So that’s why, this year, Clark finds it quite strange when February approaches and not even Jimmy mentions anything about his surprise party. He thinks maybe they have forgotten with everything going on this year – he can’t even blame them for that – and thinks of ways to tease Lois for forgetting his birthday when he realizes that there was at least _one_ person who haven’t forgotten.

_“So, your dad’s birthday is this week, right? What are you getting for the famous Bruce Wayne?”_

Clark wasn’t planning on eavesdropping his son’s phone call, but his super-hearing doesn’t exactly have an _off-switch_ and honestly? He _was_ a little curious about Bruce’s birthday.

But then karma decided to strike for this horrible decision, because soon after, Jon screeched in such a high note that only dogs (and kryptonians) could hear.

_“What do you mean you’re buying him an island?! You’re FIFTEEN!”_

_“Your point being?”,_ Damian’s voice answered.

_“No waay! How am I supposed to buy an ISLAND?! I have, like, 20 bucks with me!”_

It was cute how worried Jon was about his birthday. Truly, he didn’t need anything more than what he already has. Jon was the biggest gift life could ever give him; nothing could ever trump that. Since the moment he was born and Clark laid eyes on that tiny bundle of joy, he knew that he had everything he could ever want right here.

Well… Sure, there _was_ something Clark wants more than anything, but that’s not exactly something you put on your birthday wishlist, least of all to _his son._ But maybe it’s time to approach the subject with Lois… they haven’t talk about it since Jon was born, still revelling on the miracle that his son was- _is._ But.

But maybe it’s time to… try again. Or at least talk about it. It _was_ his birthday after all.

\S/

When Bruce invited the Kents for his birthday party, Clark had one of those whiplashes. He was so caught up on work (the reporter one and the other) and his family that when the 19th came, he was honestly surprised. His own birthday was already on the next week and not even a _word_ slipped from anyone inside the Planet. Usually, Clark always keeps track on everyone’s birthdays (even has it listed on his calendar), but he honestly forgot. He was so used to catch his colleagues schemings and then go from there, that he actually forgot what month exactly he was on.

Thank goodness Bruce is the type of person who gets uncomfortable at the sight of presents coming his way, so Clark won’t even worry about getting a last-minute gift. He knows that he couldn’t ever top whatever the hell the Waynes were buying.

It was a running gag, Jon told him, every year each Bruce’s kids would try to come with a even bigger and greater gift than the last, an implicit competition going on. Bruce probably already knew what was going on but was just too tired to stop them at this point.

While the Kents squeezed themselves inside the car for the drive to Gotham, Clark angled the mirror to see his son at the back and smiled. Jon looked up and smiled back.

“So, who won the Gift Competition last year?”, Clark asked while starting the car.

“Jason! And you’ll never guess what he gave to Mr. Wayne!”, Jon laughed.

“What?”

“A hug! He went to the Wayne Ball, in front of everyone, called him “Dad” and hugged him really tight!”

“Aww! That’s so sweet of him”, Lois gushed.

“Maybe, but Damian is pretty sure that it was all an act to make Mr. Wayne tear up in front of everyone. The gloating that came after didn’t help his case either.”

“Well… I’m sure the victory was a plus on this, but I think Jason’s feelings were genuine too. He wouldn’t play with Bruce’s emotions like that just for a game.”

From the mirror, Clark could see Jon opening his mouth to argue, thinking better, and closing it again. He sighed. He needed to remind himself that Jon didn’t know Jason from Before. Before the anger, before the Joker, before the pit. Sometimes it was hard to connect the two boys, but Clark knew Jason. He may try to hide behind snarky remarks and flashy guns, but Clark knew deep down Jason still was a good person.

Lois changed the subject, asking Jon about school and friends, and the rest of the car ride went smoothly.

At Gotham, Clark didn’t even bother to hide his shudder. The whole city had an oppressive aura, and the sun was barely visible with all the polution. For a second, Clark wondered if Starfire has the same feeling each time she comes to Gotham. Maybe he will ask Dick about it at the party.

Party which already started when they got there. Bruce came to greet them, sparing a different smile to each of them. An indulgent one for Jon, who at the same sentence he wished happy birthday to his host, he asked where Damian was. A secretive one for Lois, as if the two of them shared a secret (Clark didn’t think much of that one, _Brucie_ smiles like this at _everyone_ with a skirt), and a huge smirk for Clark, like Bruce was basically saying “I know something you don’t, ha-ha!” (with Clark, Bruce has only two facial expressions: the mocking smirk and the grumpy face so he did not think much of it too).

Clark wondered if maybe Lois was joining forces with Bruce to throw him a surprise party, especially after Lois left to mingle and Bruce stayed by his side the whole evening. It _was_ touching, if not a little suspicious. However, if Bruce truly were going to throw him a party, Clark would know at least _something_ by now.

 _Whatever_ , he decides while looking at his beautiful wife and son talking. He will just enjoy his evening here and the rest of the next ten days without wondering about a _possible_ birthday party.

\S/

The bad part about having your birthday in a leap year is that you only celebrate it on the right date from three-to-three years. It was common for him to celebrate it on the wrong date (the 28th or the 1st) depending on the weekday. This time, he was going to celebrate it on the 28th, since it was a Sunday.

He worked on some Sundays, but not full-time, and still haven’t heard not even one word about a party. Clark was certain Lois’ had either forgotten or given up about surprising him. They would go together to the Planet that morning, so he woke his wife up with a kiss, making her squint her nose in that cute way only she can do.

“Mmm, five minutes.”, she mumbled.

“Lois, you have a deadline.”

“Nooo, deadlines are an illusion.”

He tried really hard not to laugh.

“Try telling that to Perry, but with me in the same room, please.”

Not even her sleepiness could hold her snort there. Finally, she opened her gorgeous purple eyes at him, and smiled.

“Good morning”, he said, smiling.

“Morning, Clark”, she yawned. “Could you be a dear and start breakfast while I wake our gremlin up?”

Clark kissed her again, mumbled a “sure” and went to the kitchen, this time _one hundred percent_ certain she forgot all about it. He couldn’t wait for evening to come so he could tease her merciless with mock-hurt.

While starting the coffee pot, Clark checked his messages, pleased to find Ma and Pa’s texts full of birthday wishes. Maybe he will visit them later… Jon misses his grandparents after all, and Clark was already dreaming about Ma’s apple pie.

There was a lack of messages from his colleagues back at the Daily Planet, which was a little strange (since there was no party), but nothing unusual or worrying, so Clark didn’t think much about it. Kara sent him a funny gif of herself wishing him a happy birthday (one of her friends made her into a gif as a joke but she liked it so much, she uses the same gif for everyone’s birthday every year) and Kon sent him five voice messages screaming his congratulations for getting old (that made Clark roll his eyes and stifle his laughter). Bruce was weirdly silent, but maybe he hasn’t woken up yet and Diana texted him wishing a marvelous birthday and he had to use everything on him to not tease her about the “marvelous” part.

“Morning, Dad…”, came the sleepy greeting from his son.

“Morning, Jon.”, Clark laughed. Jon was just as bad as his mom about waking up on Sundays.

Clark took two bowls from the cabinet and poured some cereal and milk for them, along with a mug full of coffee for Lois.

They ate their cereal in silence, Jon still waking up and Clark just enjoying the quiet.

Well. As quiet as a household with Lois Lane-Kent can be.

“Alright, now I’m ready!”, Lois soon appeared at the kitchen, now fully dressed and with a big smile on her face. “We have lots to do, Smallville, so hurry up! And you, son of mine, don’t think you can sneak your way out of that essay. You wanna go with us to the Planet or you rather stay here? Oh! Coffee! I knew I married the right guy.”

She made grabby hands to her mug, which Clark promptly gave her.

“Have I told you how gorgeous you are today?”, he said, completely ignoring the gagging sounds coming from his 13-year-old son.

“Oh, please!”, Lois rolled her eyes, barely holding her smirk. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Smallville.”

“As adorable as you two are,”, Jon deadpans “weren’t you supposed to be at work by now?”

“Our grumpy son is right, we better hurry.”, Clark said.

“Jon, what’s your statement?”

“I’m staying. You guys are back at noon right?”

“Yup.”, Lois answered, now heading to the door. “And don’t even think about having a snack before we get here, mister, your father is gonna take us out for lunch.”

“I am?”, that was the first time Clark was hearing about that.

“Now you are.”, she said with a finality that didn’t have room for argument. Not that he wanted to.

Jon looked like he wanted to laugh but was wise enough to not actually do it.

“Have fun.”, he said sweetly enough for Clark to know that his son was laughing of him.

 _Teenagers_.

\S/

When they got in their building, hours after their pieces were written and sent to their editor (after Clark spell-checked Lois’ text), he had all forgotten about what day it was and wondered about where they all going for lunch when Clark suddenly noticed the smell of pie coming from their apartment, so strong they could smell it from the elevator.

“Should we be worried?”, he asked, looking at Lois.

“There’s no smoke, so maybe not just yet.”, she looked just as confused as he was.

Using his X-Ray vision, he noticed two people, adults, talking to his son in the kitchen. Wait, are those…

Suddenly, the door opened. Jon had a huge smile on his face, pleased he heard them coming before they reached the door so the surprise could be complete.

“Dad!! Happy birthday!”

Clark blinked, shocked for a second. He totally forgot about his birthday _again_ while working.

“Thanks, son.”, Clark said, hugging him.

Jon indulged him (since it _was_ his birthday and all) for about two seconds before letting go and start pulling him inside.

“Now come _on!_ I worked really hard on your present!”

That’s right! Jon was freaking out about what to give him in the beginning of the month! He must have figured out what to give him.

“Ta-daa!”, Jon said, pointing with his hands for something at the kitchen.

Or better said, some _ones_.

“Ma! Pa! I’m so happy to see you! I thought we were going to Smallville next weekend so you wouldn’t have to make the trip!”

“That _was_ the plan”, Ma said, her eyes tinkling with mischief. “But a wonderful young man showed up at the farm this morning saying he had three bus tickets to Metropolis and he _really_ wanted to know how to make my special apple pie.”

“Oh, it was nothing much.”, Jon blushed, unable to hide his satisfied smirk.

Strangely, Lois was _very_ silent during this whole exchange. Was she blaming herself for forgetting his birthday? It was nothing much, really. He opened his mouth to ask her if she was ok when Pa beated him to the punch.

“Lois, dear, are you alright? You don’t look so good.”

“I-I’m fine!”, she squealed, sweating. “I just… have to do something real quick.”

And then bolted to their bedroom.

Clark frowned, concerned. He hoped she wasn’t freaking out about it, and gave two steps to go after her when Pa called him to do something at the kitchen with them. He threw another worried glance at the door before joining his parents and son there.

\S/

When the evening came, Lois looked much better. They all ate and laughed, sharing stories from Smallville, from the farm, from Jon’s childhood and even all the different military bases Lois’ grew up in, getting in all types of trouble. In that moment, while looking at his family, he knew he already had everything he needed right here, on his living room.

But, unfortunately, everything that is good never lasts. Even with Lois and Clark’s protests that they had a perfectly decent guest-room for them, Ma and Pa were adamant about catching the night bus back to Smallville. Clark wanted to go with them, to make sure their trip was ok and without disturbances, but Jon volunteered before Clark could even get up from the couch.

“I’m gonna take the bus with grandpa and grandma and then I come back flying, ok?”

Clark didn’t like that very much, it was a little dangerous to fly by himself at night. What if something happens?

“Oh, he’s welcome to sleepover with us, Clark!”, Pa invited, delighted.

“I have school tomorrow”, Jon said, almost embarrassed. “but I _could_ bring my stuff over so I just fly directly to school tomorrow. Can I, Mom?”

Smart guy, asking directly to his mom because he knows she is the one calling the shots in this house.

“Well…”, she pondered for a second “Alright, just this once. Take care of your grandparents and _behave,_ mister.”

“Pfft, I _always_ behave! Tell her, Dad!”

“Don’t you have a bus to catch?”, Clark asked.

“You guys are terrible!”, Jon complained in mock-hurt before flying in super-speed to his room to take his backpack and change of clothes.

“Bye, honey.”, Ma said and kisses his cheek before doing the same to Lois.

Lois hugged Ma a little longer than normal, but Clark didn’t comment. He was going to take this opportunity to reassure her it was everything ok and she didn’t need to worry about forgetting his birthday, because he was a little worried about her. She kept stealing longing glances at the pie but didn’t even take a bite. Out of guilty? Self-punishment? Surely she couldn’t think he was petty enough for her to do something like that.

Soon Jon came back and him and Lois, wishing Clark happy birthday again before taking off with his grandparents.

The door barely closed when Lois took his hand and basically dragged him into their bedroom.

“Now it’s my turn give you your present, Clark.”

Oh? _Ooh…_

Alright then. Looks like she found the perfect last-minute present for him – not that he’s complaining.

“Really now?”, he smirked. “And what’s that?”

She laid on the bed, smirking at him.

“Why don’t you open my shirt and find out?”

 _Nice_ , he sure liked where this is going. With their busy schedules, it has been a while since their last- wait a minute.

He looked back at her, confused, but her smirk only grew bigger.

“Why do I feel fabric on your stomach?”

“Because that’s an invisible fabric, Smallville. How about you rip it open, huh?”

Hey, last time he did that, he got an earful of a lifetime. But this time she was _offering…_ So he did exactly that.

And suddenly, his whole life flipped upside down. Because surely, _surely_ he couldn’t be hearing it right. He couldn’t be hearing the most amazing sound in the world…

“Soo… _daddy_ … Surprise!”, Lois laughs, eyes sparkling.

The sound of two heartbeats coming from the same person.

“But… but… how…”

“Bruce and Zatanna helped me!”, she proudly proclaimed. “Honestly, it was dumb luck that I found out I was pregnant before you did. You and Jon were away for a few days, heroing and stuff, when I decided to take the test. From then on, it was easy to get everyone on board for my surprise.”

Her smile lowers a little, and she speaks so low it’s barely above a whisper. “I also didn’t want to get our hopes up if I… if I couldn’t carry on with the pregnancy after the first months… you remember how difficult it was with Jon…”

Clark did remember and understood all too well why Lois wanted to make this a surprise so bad.

“But anyways!”, she cheered up again, “Bruce tailed me a costum made lead corset to wear underneath my clothes, with some touches of magic – thanks to Zee - so you wouldn’t hear the heartbeat.”

And in that moment, with his heart swimming in such love and joy, that Clark realizes that maybe his lost children weren’t so lost after all.

“Lois… This is the best present. Seriously. She’s going to be perfect.”

She giggled, just as happy as he was.

“There is _no way_ you already know their gender, Smallville!”

Clark threw her a knowing smile.

“Call it a super-hunch.”

“You are such a _dork!_ How could I ever marry you?”

“Becaaause you love me very much?”

“You’re lucky you’re cute, farm boy.”, she teased before pulling him over her to kiss him. “By the way, Bruce, Jimmy and the others sends their congrats and happy birthdays.”

“Is that why there is no party this year?”, he asked, caressing her cheek.

“Yeah, I told them that this year it was gonna be just us, because I had a very special surprise.”

“So, no one knows?”

“Not yet, I rather wait a little more before start telling people. Do you mind?”

“Anything you want is good with me, Lo.”

“Great! That means I can _really_ start giving you birthday present.”, she kissed him again.

And again, and again, and again…

Overall, it was pretty amazing birthday.

**Author's Note:**

> LET'S PLAY CATCH THE REFERENCE! 
> 
> The reason Clark was so certain the baby was a girl, it's because (since death metal and all) he remembered about Mia/Cir-El, the daughter he and Lois had that came from the future pre-Flashpoint. I always got annoyed about the complete erase she gets, so that's my way to fixing that! She's actually Jon's little sister!! Imagine how cool it would be, she being the little sister but then going to the past and then act as the older sibling to Jon? Lol, I'd love to see that.  
> About Chris: I didn't mention him here because I already have another fic about his return.


End file.
